Field
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a system and method for moving heavy objects relative to a drill floor. Specifically, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a brake device of a traverse system that may be used to move and secure a catwalk on a drill rig, such as catwalks used for conveying tubulars between a drill floor and a lower section of the drilling rig or drill site.
Description of the Related Art
In a drilling operation or rig work-over operation, whether on a water-based (offshore) or a land-based drilling rig, tubulars, such as drill pipe, risers, casing or other tubulars, are often stored at, or supplied from, a level that is below the drill floor. In some offshore drilling operations, the tubulars are stored on a pipe deck that is located adjacent to, but below the drill floor. The tubulars are transported to the drill floor from the pipe deck and then may be transported back to the pipe deck from the drill floor. The tubulars may be transferred using a “catwalk” to move the tubulars between the pipe deck and the drill floor.
In certain offshore rigs, the drill floor may be moved relative to the rig to drill multiple wells. Thus, the catwalk may be required to be moved to get the tubulars closer to the well location, and/or to have access to the drill floor, such as the “V door” of the drill floor. The catwalk may be supported on a series of spaced-apart beams forming an effective table that supports the catwalk frame. A longitudinal length of the beams (may be about 30 feet in length) is typically positioned transverse to a longitudinal length of the catwalk such that the catwalk frame can be pushed or pulled laterally across the longitudinal length of the beams relative to the drill floor or the position of the well. Typically, the catwalk frame is moved by winches or hydraulic rams that push or pull the catwalk frame along the longitudinal length of the beams. When the catwalk frame is not moving, the frame is fastened to the beams using pins.
In order to provide a stable support surface and promote smooth movement of the catwalk frame across the beams, the top surface (flange) of the beams must be substantially coplanar and/or level. However, due to manufacturing irregularities of the beams and/or irregularities in the surface on top of which the beams are installed, the beams may not be satisfactorily coplanar and/or level. Thus, a leveling process, such as a milling process, must be performed to level the beams. Due to the size and the number of beams, a milling machine may be necessary, and the milling process must be performed on the rig, which requires the milling machine to be transported to the rig. Any one of or a combination of the machine, the transport and the milling operation is very expensive.
There is a need for new and/or improved methods and apparatus for moving a catwalk on beams.